http://www.goupstate.com/article/20150612/ARTICLES/150619915/1083/ARTICLES?p=1&tc=pg
A Spartanburg County sheriff’s deputy is recovering after being shot in the eye with a pellet gun while on scene of an arson case Friday morning.
Justin Patrick Hill, 18, of 523 Houston St., was arrested early Friday and charged with pointing and presenting a weapon at a person, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and assault and battery first degree, according to arrest warrants.
Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on scene at 525 Houston St. around 2 a.m. to assist in an arson investigation when Hall approached a deputy with a knife and pellet gun and fired the gun at his face, according to an incident report from the Sheriff’s Office.
The deputy gave commands to put the gun down and Tasered Hill when he continued to approach. Hill then shot his pellet gun and struck the deputy, according to the report.
The pellet became lodged in the deputy’s eye. He was taken to Spartanburg Medical Center early Friday and advised to follow up with a specialist for treatment later Friday, said Lt. Kevin Bobo, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman.
Hill was scheduled for a bond hearing at 2 p.m. Friday with Solicitor Barry Barnette representing the state.
His charges may be amended since investigators determined the gun used was a pellet gun and not an actual firearm. Since the assault was on an officer, the assault charge may be amended to aggravated assault on a police officer, Bobo said.
“It has to be a real gun for most weapon charges,” Bobo said.
Bobo said it appears deputies were canvassing the area to assist in the arson investigation. He said Hill is considered a person of interest in the arson.
“He was a suspect in the arson next door. That kind of explains his actions a bit better,” Bobo said.
Capt. Tim Metz, commander of the Sheriff’s Office’s patrol division, said the deputy struck is recovering but did “sustain a fairly serious injury to the eye area.”
“We’re putting all of the particulars together,” Metz said. “It was a scary couple of minutes there.”
A Spartanburg County sheriff’s deputy is recovering after being shot in the eye with a pellet gun while on scene of an arson case Friday morning.
Justin Patrick Hill, 18, of 523 Houston St., was arrested early Friday and charged with pointing and presenting a weapon at a person, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and assault and battery first degree, according to arrest warrants.
Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on scene at 525 Houston St. around 2 a.m. to assist in an arson investigation when Hall approached a deputy with a knife and pellet gun and fired the gun at his face, according to an incident report from the Sheriff’s Office.
The deputy gave commands to put the gun down and Tasered Hill when he continued to approach. Hill then shot his pellet gun and struck the deputy, according to the report.
The pellet became lodged in the deputy’s eye. He was taken to Spartanburg Medical Center early Friday and advised to follow up with a specialist for treatment later Friday, said Lt. Kevin Bobo, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman.
Hill was scheduled for a bond hearing at 2 p.m. Friday with Solicitor Barry Barnette representing the state.
His charges may be amended since investigators determined the gun used was a pellet gun and not an actual firearm. Since the assault was on an officer, the assault charge may be amended to aggravated assault on a police officer, Bobo said.
“It has to be a real gun for most weapon charges,” Bobo said.
Bobo said it appears deputies were canvassing the area to assist in the arson investigation. He said Hill is considered a person of interest in the arson.
“He was a suspect in the arson next door. That kind of explains his actions a bit better,” Bobo said.
Capt. Tim Metz, commander of the Sheriff’s Office’s patrol division, said the deputy struck is recovering but did “sustain a fairly serious injury to the eye area.”
“We’re putting all of the particulars together,” Metz said. “It was a scary couple of minutes there.”
